Tacloban Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Latter-day Saint Temple

Ground was broken for the Tacloban City Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, January 18, 2025. The sacred structure will be built on a 6.99-acre site along Tacloban Bypass Road in Brgy. Utap-Caibaan, Tacloban City, Leyte.

Among those who attended the event were local government officials, interfaith leaders, presidents of higher learning institutions, and officials from the military and police. Notable attendees included City Board Member Wilson Uy, Councilor Leo Bahin, Col. Noelito Getigan, Director Karina Rosa Tiopes of the Department of Tourism, SFO2 Luis Lyndon Aurelia of the Tacloban Fire Department, Caibaan Barangay Chair Blesilda Velasco, Imam Majid Mauyag of the Muslim community, Pastor Roy Moraleta of Potter’s House, Pastor Dixie Isaac Bangcog of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), Lt. Col. Esmeraldo Sumalinog of the Philippine Army, Ms. Raquel Bateo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office, and Mr. Nicolas Leaño of ACLC College of Tacloban.

Elder Michael B. Strong, Second Counselor of the Philippines Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presided over the ceremony. He was joined by Waray- and Cebuano-speaking Latter-day Saints from six provinces in the Eastern Visayas region, including pioneer members who witnessed the Church’s growth in the Philippines. From a small congregation in 1961, Church membership has now surpassed 876,000 nationwide.

In his remarks before the dedicatory prayer, Elder Strong reflected on the early days of the Church in Tacloban, recalling the first missionaries who arrived in 1968. Their efforts led to the baptism of George Pamin—the first member of the Church in Tacloban—exactly 56 years ago.

"From this first baptism until now, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has continued to grow and become a vital part of the community of Tacloban and the surrounding region," Elder Strong said.

He also noted the Church’s significant growth in the Philippines, including Tacloban.

"The Church of Jesus Christ has also continued to grow in this region, from those humble beginnings in 1968 to today, where there are five stakes and six districts (dioceses) and over 35,000 members. With that growth, we are blessed to be here for the purpose of breaking ground for the construction of another temple," he added.

Additional speakers, including a youth representative, a young single adult, and a local pioneer, shared inspiring messages centered on their experiences as Latter-day Saints.

The Tacloban City Philippines Temple will be the eighth of the 13 temples in the country. The other temples announced, under construction, or in operation are in Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao, Iloilo, Laoag, Manila, Naga, Santiago, Tuguegarao City, and Urdaneta.

DOWNLOAD

The two-story temple will have an area of 21,407 square feet. The project will also include an ancillary building housing an arrival center, patron accommodations, and a distribution center.

Attendance at the ceremony was by invitation only, but the general public was able to view the proceedings through a livestream on YouTube.

Latter-day Saint temples differ from meetinghouses or chapels where members gather for Sunday worship services. A temple is considered a “house of the Lord” where Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through sacred ordinances such as marriage and baptism, uniting families for eternity. Inside, members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to serve Jesus Christ and their fellow man.

Photos, Video(s) and Press Kit: https://shorturl.at/uvJ7T